Hemostatic clips are used during surgical procedures to control bleeding along the edges of the incision, the clips being applied to the tissue with sufficient clamping force as to close off the blood vessels therein. The clamping pressure must be limited, however, so as to avoid permanent injury to the skin or other tissue and the limiting pressure varies from patient to patient, lower pressure limits being necessary for pediatric than for adult patients, for example. It is also necessary that the clips be readily removable at the end of the procedure.
The clips may be applied using a forceps-like device. However, such devices are capable of applying only a single clip at a time, unduly slowing the process. A number of hemostatic clip applicators which are capable of holding a number of clips and of applying the clips in succession have been devised. Examples of such applicators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,263, Green; 4,612,932, Casper et al.; 4,624,254, McGarry et al.; 4,637,395, Casper et al.; 4,646,740, Peters et al.; 4,671,278, Chin; and 4,712,549, Peters et al. The relative complexity of these devices is a limiting facture in their use.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a hemostatic clip applicator tool having a magazine capable of holding a supply of clips and a dispensing mechanism for applying the clips in succession.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a hemostatic clip applicator tool in which the clamping pressure of the clip may be controlled.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of such a hemostatic clip applicator in which the magazine is removably from the tool thus facilitating the supplying of additional clips.